The changes will allow users to create slides in portrait mode, a feature that has been strangely absent from the PowerPoint mobile app.
In its announcement via the Office Insider blog on November 21, Microsoft cites a shift towards mobile content creation as the reason for the update.
The trend towards mobile is nothing new, and ensuring your website, app, or presentation works well on mobile has been a priority for the past decade.
Rather than simple mobile compatibility, Microsoft acknowledges “mobile-first content creation”. The shift can be seen in the rise of short-form video content in the form of TikTok and Instagram Reels, which are often presented in a portrait format.
That said, it’s unlikely that individuals are using PowerPoint to do much “content creation” of that kind.
The updated feature, which seems like something PowerPoint Mobile should have had from the beginning, is probably more the result of the move to remote work and video calls.
With the wave of remote work came the need to communicate, collaborate and present online.
For people using mobile devices, portrait content is far easier to use both as a reader and as a presenter.
The update is in public beta, meaning it will probably roll out to all versions of the PowerPoint Mobile app some time in the next few months.
